Time controlled electric switch



- June 2, 1 942. w. HARTQN 2,284,819

TIME CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 22, 1940 F IG./ 4 22 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

Patented June 2, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to an electric switch operating mechanism in combination with an alarm clock.

My invention relates to an electric switch operating mechanism in which the power to throw the switch is obtained from a manually set spring actuating a pivoted arm secured in a cocked position and released at a predetermined time by a sensitive trigger tripped by the rotation of the alarm winding key of an alarm clock.

My invention relates further to an electric switch operating mechanism having an easily removable attachment for installation over an electric toggle switch, in operable position therefor.

I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the entire mechanism set for throwing an electric switch ofi.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bolt and trigger movement which controls the switch throwing element, shown in a released position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism with cover plate removed, shown in a position reverse from Fig. l as having irown a switch on.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a special screw for holding the switch face plate and my switch operating mechanism.

Similar numerals refer throughout the several views.

In as much as the device is applied to the standard electric toggle switch 2 and is combined with an ordinary alarm clock its details of construction are not shown. The invention comprises frame I secured at one end to the toggle switch face plate 3 by means of arm 4 above said switch and arm 4' below said switch; said frame I is engaged at the other end to alarm clock 5 by means of arm 6 hinged to the periphery of said clock near the back at l and by means of arm 6 spring secured to the periphery of said clock opposite hinge 1. Frame I has an open end toward switch 2. An actuating lever B is bent around spring 9 which engages one arm of lever B at H] and also engages frame I at H; said lever B pivoting around spring 9 describes with one end a path the circumference of which includes the toggle lever of switch 2; the other end l2 of lever 8 etxends through an opening in said frame l to be manually operated in the development of spring tension of spring 9 and in locating the actuating end of lever B in an operative position. When the manually operated to similar parts end of lever 8 is pushed against spring tension to the limit of its movement it is held in this cocked position by means of bolt l3 projecting through the side of frame i and supported by bracket Id and retained against withdrawal by means of pawl l5 engaging pawl [6 of trigger ll. This sensitive trigger and action is one of the features of the invention as it throws a very slight load on the bearings of the alarm winding key it of alarm clock 5. When in operative position at the predetermined setting of the alarm, as key l8 unwinds, one of its wings trips trigger ll, disengaging pawls l5 and I6, releasing bolt l3, allowing the operating end of lever B to strike the toggle lever of switch 2 a hard lifting stroke from the tension of spring 9 thus throwing switch 2 which also operated on a circumference. The friction of said bolt and trigger movement is slight as bolt l3 and pawl carried on pin 2 when released by pawl l6 and trigger H, at all times are moving away from lever 8, and are not required to lift any of the spring tension of spring 9 to be discharged. The contacting surfaces of pawls l5 and i6 are rounded and when operatingboth move in the direction of a circumference, rolling on each other with no friction.

Trigger I! from where it is contacted by alarm clock wing nut i8 to pin '21 has a long leverage which with other features set forth, assure that the device may be discharged by the slight pressure of the unwinding of this wing nut l8.

Trigger spring 24 moves trigger and pawls into place when lever B is in a set position. Trigger spring 24 is shown in Fig. 1.

My device may be used to throw the switch either on or off according to the way in which it is placed over the switch. Fig. 1 shows the device ready to throw the toggle lever down, which is the usual action for throwing a switch off. ihis will probably be the most popular use of it, in apartment halls, window signs, radios, electric stoves and heaters. By reversing the position as shown in Fig. 5 the device may be operated for throwing the switch on. Lever 8 is here shown in position after having thrown switch 2.

The installation of my device is very simple; special screws 22 illustrated in Fig. 6 are provided to replace the usual ones securing face plate 3. Screws 22 have a groove around their heads at 23. To install device, place the larger part of aperture 25 in arm 4 over the head of screw 22; then move the smaller part of aperture 25 into groove 23 and then swing arm 4 around so that groove 23 of the other screw fits into slot 26 of said arm. Clearance to permit this movement of the frame is provided by making cover plate 21 shorter than the other portion of the frame as shown by dotted line 29 in Fig. 1. This clearance enables one to set the switch by hand without removing the frame from its installation. Brackets 30 are to hold cover plate 21.

I am aware that other time controlled electric switch mechanisms have been made, so that I do not claim such invention broadly; but I do claim:

1. A time controlled electric switch operating mechanism comprising an operative lever under spring tension held by a bolt in a position cooked for the throwing of a toggle switch, a trigger to release said bolt and lever operable by the unwinding of an alarm winding key of an alarm clock, said operating elements mounted in a frame having an arm with a perforation adapted to fit into an annular groove in the head of a screw in a toggle switch face plate and a second arm having a longitudinal slot adapted to fit into an annular groove in the head of another screw in the face plate of a toggle switch for the installation of said mechanism.

2. A time controlled electric switch operating mechanism mounted in a frame removably attached to the heads of the face plate retaining screws of a toggle switch comprising a lever under spring tension positioned for throwing said toggle switch, manual means for cooking said lever to said operable position, a lever retaining bolt, a bolt releasing trigger and an alarm clock key adapted to release said trigger, bolt and lever for the throwing of said switch at a predetermined setting of said alarm clock.

' WILL GREEN HARTON. 

